Somewhere only we know

Chapter SeVeNteeN c:

The flashlight barely provided any light.

James and Sarah walked down the worn stone steps to the catacombs.

The place was usually closed to the public. James could imagine the beasts and animals roaming around, and the restless spirits still trapped here, doing everything they can to break their chains of oppression. But he was restless too, and nothing, even his fruitless efforts and moving feet, relieved his anxiety.

He wanted to find the necklace. Or part of the necklace, as he should call it. Where would Galileo hide a gold triangle?

He heard Sarah gasp as she tripped over a stone slab.

“Hold on to me,” he said, gripping her arm.

“Let's think hard,” she said. “Fire... fire is destruction. It's warmth. It's rebirth. Which one of these would Galileo have wanted to portray to his daughter?”

James thought about it. “I... really don't know. It could be any. It could be destruction, because he was gonna die soon. It could be warmth for his love and passion. It could also be rebirth, for new beginnings. Right?”

“Yeah.”

The went farther down and saw many fish sketches on the wall.

“The Catholics used the fish as their own symbol,” Sarah whispered. “Whenever a Catholic met someone knew, they would draw the first half of the fish in the sand, and if the person they met was Catholic as well, they'd finish the image.”

James looked at her, amazed.

“My grandma was very religious,” she blushed.

“Look!” James whispered in the silence. On the wall in front of them had a torch, with a triangle at the body of it.

“None of the other torches have that triangle,” Sarah said.

James went over to reach out and touch it. But then he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard someone else move.

“There's someone here,” Sarah murmured.

“Ssh,” he shushed her. “Don't move.”

The two stayed tense, huddled in the corner, chest to chest. James would have enjoyed it, if it weren't a matter of life and death.

There was movement and footsteps coming towards them.

Could it be a ghost? James couldn't believe he was really considering this theory. Or could it be the Enlightened Ones? Now that was a more realistic theory.

The strangers got closer and closer. It was too dark to see. Until one of the strangers turned around to the corner where James and Sarah hid, and they were face-to-face.

A loud scream pierced the night.

James' heart was about to burst out of his chest.

He didn't know if that scream was Sarah's or the strangers.

Then the stranger who was face-to-face with them gasped.

“OH MY FREAKIN' GOSH!” she shrieked, fighting for air.

“MICHAELLE! DON”T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!” Sarah yelled, still reviving her heart rate.

James sighed with relief. It was just Michaelle!

“Michaelle I heard you scream!” It was Valentino talking now. “Are you alright?!”

Raoule came running towards them.

James got angry now. “What the hell were you THINKING!?” he demanded.

“Hey,” Michaelle put her hands on her hips, her voice commanding. “We were following a trail that happened to lead us down here!”

“What trail?!”

“This trail with the triangles on the stone slabs guiding us here,” Valentino said.

James nodded. If that was true, then this was the right spot.

“So where is it?” Michaelle asked.

“I have a feeling it's in that torch,” Sarah said.

James looked inside the torch, where many centuries ago, held the fire that led the persecuted to their doom. It also held the fire of life when all seemed dark around here. And the same flame that burned during the first Olympic games.

The torch was bronze and worn out, but you can still tell that the quality was lasting.

“There,” he breathed in triumph, his fingers digging beneath the ash and dust who's been there since who knows when.

He pulled out a rusty golden triangle, looking old by the many years it has been there, not touched for so long. But it would've looked beautiful when it was first made.

It was about the size of a child's palm. There was a fastener for the chain at the top of it.

There was silence, maybe because of the amazement. Maybe for the bewilderment. Maybe for the proper reverence of all who died here.

“Yes,” James whispered, a smile on his face.

“One down. Three to go.” ;)